The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-13
GoINGt G0iNGi COMET

DC uuuftsseu 10 tnd muHukcTs
GOINGi GOINGi COMET
This school year; what its results are
no human being can tell. That there
are and will be results is as certain as
life, but just how great, and whether
for good or evil can not be recorded.
The effect OF influence Is like the re-
suits of stone thrown into lake Of
still water. The waves it makes do
not stop until they reach its farthest
shores. 1t is said that the vibrations
produced by single spoken word reach
around the world. A few years ago
while an astronomer was watching the
sun a disturbance was witnessed; It
was afterward ascertained that every
telegraph instrument on the globe was
disturbed at that very instant. inf
nitely more subtle and permanent are
waves of thought and influence. A
single spoken word may start pupil
on the road to heaven or hell. A
scholar has been known to leave .
school room with o hatred Of his teacher
lifelong In its effects.
Add the long columns Of results.
What are their sumsp Per cents? Mol
Facts9 No. Memory work? No.
What thenp Character. That is all.
worth mentioning. Throw arithmetic
to the dogs, when you are estimating
results. All the arithmetics in tho
world never made a child q good man..
or girl an affectionatc woman. What
shall we dor Leave of studying arith-
metic, geography, and history No..
But leave of thinking that all the
studies Of Christendom are anything
but means, means, that is all. The
learning to read is of no account COM
pared with the getting loue for good
reading, high ideals, and the building up
OF CHARACTER. A school journal
advises the calling up Of the kDotty
questions OF the past for the purpose
Of seeing that the pupils have them
firmly in their grip. Whether this be
good or bad depends upon why these
knotty questions are called up. Il 1t
for examination purposes, so that the
pupil can pass and be promoted? Then
1t is bad. But II it Is for conquering
an obstacle so that the student may cry
.victoryp " "Eurekai" then il is grand.
When boy grapples problem with
the grit, ..I'Il solve 1t. or I'll not eat my
supper, !" he Is educating In himself the
stuff out OF which heroes are made;
when he stands before jury he win
say, "I'll convince them, or I'll sit up
all night He throws all his energies
into that case as though his life de-
pended upon his success. When he Is
farmer. he gees at his plow, and takes
hold OF his axe with the grip Of Gen.
Grant before Vicksbnrg. Vicksburg
must fall,u Grant said. "This farm
must produce q crop" the farmer SAYS.
What have our schools this year dono
for our civilization? It Is pitiable and
pitiful how little many teachers and
school boards care about results, real re-
suits that anlount to GnfdSing; and how
much they care. about results that
amount to nothing; percentage results,
reported results, paper results, show
results. nonsense results, rubbish re-
suits. Results that DIX in the mind
higher ideals, e. excite noble
thoughts and aspirats =, results that
educate courage, conscience, and con-
sideratlon for the rights Of others; re-
suits that make q child cleaner, purer.
| moro lovable- these results are worth
agonizing for. The schools where these
results have been reached, have done =
work that cannot be paid for in cash, or
estimated by the rules Of peroentage
and interest. t.--TAs Teachers lnstitasts.
want once more to bring up the
much picked.at articles. q, an and tse.
| Very much has been written on them,
| and I feel almost like q trespasser In
again bringing them before the frater-
nifty
Their pronunciation like many other
things has beon carried 70 extremes.
To me it is very disagreed lble - hear Z
child pronounce the articles as distinct
words. In teaching young children.
| tell them that a, an and ne have no
meaning. but we put them In stoFies
(sentences) ia make them sound better
We would not say, Sec 1owers.p 4